The Darker Side of Life
by RPearce
Summary: Just two days after the Battle of Naboo, Darth Maul is reborn in one of Palpatine’s bionic experiments. With no memory of his former life, Maul is but a shadow for his former self. Palpatine orders Count Dooku to rid him of his ‘failed’ experiment.
1. Breath of Life

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_**The Darker Side of Life**_

_**Summary: **Just two days after the Battle of Naboo, Darth Maul is reborn in one of Palpatine's bionic experiments. With no memory of hisprevious life, Maul is but a shadow for his former self. Palpatine orders Count Dooku to rid him of his 'failed' experiment. But this young Sith has a talent, for survival._

_Successfully escaping the clutches of his former masters, Maul has to hide and adapt in the underbelly of Curascant, a seething, dark, labyrinthine world beneath the glittering towers of the capital. _

_With a constantly intoxicated, Death-stick dealer named 'Jack' (a nod to POTC Jack Sparrow) as his guide, Maul tries to make some sense of the world, and soon rediscovershis great powers._

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_**Chapter 1 - Breath of life**_

The experiment had been a success. Artificial robotic legs had been grafted to what little was left of his body, fused to his spine. The feet looked like massive metal talons. Palpatine watched through a tinted window. He had no intention of continuing the boy's training. This had been an experiment to see if he could survive the procedure. He had found his apprentice, Darth Maul on Naboo. His body had been cut cleanly in two by the Jedi Kenobi. He had been dead for two days, but not for much longer. Palpatine had secretly transported him to Curascant, the capital planet, a place buzzing with technology.

He watched, as the robots hovered over his apprentice, and switched on a large defibrillator nearby. A huge shock pad extended out from the wall above the patient. Palpatine twitched his finger, and a loud _BUZZ _echoed into the room as the electricity charged up. _"Now' _he closed his eyes, as a shockwave erupted from the machine, causing his apprentice's body to twist and contort from the huge current passing through him. The heart furiously started beating, and still the current charged through his body. His apprentice gasped and opened his eyes as his lungs took in a fresh gulp of air, he needed it. He had been dead for a while. Then the heart stopped again.

Palpatine clenched his teeth in anger as Maul began to slip away once more. This had been the third attempt overall. _'You WILL get up boy!' _he raged.

Holding out a hand, he raised the current to dangerous heights. The metal legs began to heat up and steam, the arms stretched out, and the fists clawed at the air. Another surge of current slammed into Maul's heart, and it pounded with life again.

With a painful, angry roar, Maul reached for the machine above him, and wrenched it away from the wall. Sparks of electricity flew at his face and arms, charring him, but he could barely feel it. His memory was slurred, he couldn't even remember his own name. The pain in his chest and abdomen was unlike anything he had ever felt before, it was agony. Doubling over he stumbled forward and snarled. The floor clanked and crushed from the weight of his legs. Maul focused his eyes to see his lower half was entirely made of metal, and he was fused to it. He touched it in horror and disgust, and tried to wiggle his toes. The Talons of his robotic feet moved like he wanted, but he could not feel them.

"What is this?" he snarled, and grabbed a nearby medical bot. The robot was terrified, and fought to be free, it writhed and bleeped at him, and he released it, sending it smashing into the wall opposite. He winced in pain, and pulled out countless needles and tubes from his chest and arms.

He leant against the nearby glass for support, and as he touched it, a wave of energy hit him like lightning. The hairs on his neck stood on end, and he felt a terrible feeling in what was left of his gut. He turned to look through the glass, it was black, and all he could see was his reflection. And it was a fearsome sight to behold. He knew he was being watched, he could 'feel' it. Yet he had no idea who it was.

"Where am I?" he shouted. Hobbling uneasily around the room on his new legs. Looking out of the window in the hopes of recognising the horizon.

To say Palpatine was a little disappointed was an understatement. His apprentice was talking a great deal more than usual, which suggested severe memory loss. His body was working though, perfectly. He had made life, from death, and Palpatine smiled slightly from his victory. However, the boy was struggling to manoeuvre…there was no way he would return to his former glory. He had been one of the best fighters Sideous had ever trained. He was a little arrogant during training, but his stubbornness and desire to kill made him powerful and fast. Dooku himself had helped oversee the boy's lightsabre training.

"It's such a shame…" Dooku's huge frame loomed in the doorway behind Palpatine. "I was most impressed when his weapon of choice was a double blade. That design of weapon had not been used in centuries of our history." His low voice purred.

"Indeed." Darth Sideous turned away from the glass, and walked toward the exit. Dooku immediately stepped aside to let his master pass. "A great shame." The Sith lord continued as he walked down a tunnel to a separate room. Dooku walked slowly behind, hands clasped firmly behind his back.

"Kenobi did a lot of damage, yet the boy's strength has pulled him through admirably."

"My apprentice is dead Dooku…That boy in the theatre is a shadow of his former glory." Palpatine hissed.

"All that effort. A waste." Dooku nodded disbelievingly. The old men stood in silence and admired the view of Curascants light filled night sky.

They heard Maul's voice roar from the operating theatre. "Where are you? What have you done to me? Help me…somebody!"

"What are we going to do with him?" Dooku turned to Sideous.

Palpatine glared coldly, and began to walk away.

"My Lord? Surely in time…" Dooku protested.

"His memory may never return, I fear we left him dead for too long, at least now we know our technology will work on your apprentice Lord Grievous, should he choose to go through with the procedure." Palpatine added.

"His health has deteriorated rapidly I'm afraid. He will have no choice but to agree to the surgery." Dooku was saddened by this news.

Palpatine felt Dooku became too attached to his apprentices. Emotion was the fuel to the Sith's power, but it could also hinder. That is why Dooku didn't want to kill Maul now. He had _hope._

Palpatine raised his hand, and lifted Dooku's lightsaber from its holster. He floated it in front of the tall man's face. "You know what you have to do." he said darkly. "I can't have him running off to the Jedi. He could betray us without ever realising he is one of us."

Dooku swallowed and reluctantly plucked the lightsaber from the air.

"It will be done my Lord." He bowed, and headed for the theatre.

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	2. Perfect Execution

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_**Chapter 2 - Perfect Execution**_

Maul panicked and shouted furiously at the air. The room he was in was locked, it looked like an operating theatre, and he had no legs, just metal misshapen _things. _He was at a loss. He didn't know who he was, where he was, or why he was there. He looked at his reflection once more. His eyes glowed a fearsome yellow, and his face was covered in Tattoo's. Horns sprouted from his head like a crown, and his teeth were black as coal. "_What am I?"_ he whispered.

He spent a couple of minutes trying to 'order' his legs to move the way he wanted. He walked forward uneasily, and the foot clanked as metal hit metal on the floor. The hairs on his neck began to vibrate as he felt another presence nearby. He knew the feeling, he had felt it before, but he couldn't remember why. He concentrated and lifted his arms, poking invisible feelers into every nook and cranny. There were two of them…in a room nearby, there were people outside, lower levels…very low. He moved toward the window, and looked down.

The building he was in descended into what looked like an abyss. A thick mist, hiding its depth from view. Maul sensed it was very deep. _Why do I know this?_ He grabbed his throbbing head and growled. His whole torso hurt, as if it had been subjected to non-stop torture for a week.

The door suddenly opened and Maul whirled around to see a very tall old man in the doorway.

Maul stared at him and said nothing. The old man was holding a strange device, like a metal rod, with buttons on it. It was black, and didn't look dangerous.

Dooku paused as Maul stared at the lightsaber hilt in his hand. "Do you…know what this is?" he asked, wondering if Maul started to remember. "Do you remember me?"

Maul studied the man and the object intently, then screwed his face up with mixed feelings of irritation, pain and worry. He nodded his head. "No." he murmured.

Dooku sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that." He lifted his hand to Maul, and with a flash, sent bolts of lightning spewing out toward him.

It hit Maul square in the chest, throwing him against the thick glass of the window. The sheer force of the blow caused the glass to crack. He cried out as his body twitched and twisted in pain. His metal legs struggled to keep him upright.

Dooku lowered his arm as Maul fell to his knees, doubled over in pain. The boy had no idea what he was capable of. He had fought Maul in practice duels before. It had been pretty evenly matched, with wins and losses on both sides. The Maul he knew would have dodged or blocked that lightning strike. This was not Lord Maul. Dooku flicked the switch and his lightsaber ignited, making the room glow an eerie red.

Maul raised his head painfully. "Why?" he gasped. "What have I done?"

Dooku took a step toward him. Lifting the lightsaber, ready to separate the boy's head from his shoulders. The least he could do was make Maul's death painless. "You died." Dooku said coldly, and brought the sabre down.

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	3. Instincts

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_**Chapter 3 - Instincts**_

Maul clenched his eyes shut, and waited for the killing blow, and then he felt the urge to move. _Dive right!_ Hisbody told him. He obeyed, and forced his springlike, metallic legs to fling him to safety.

Dooku's lightsabre was inches from Maul's neck when the boy suddenly dodged the attack. The burning sabre sliced into the glass of the window like butter, and the window exploded, showering them with glass. Maul saw his chance, he didn't care about the consequences, the window was his only escape. He ordered his metal legs to push, and he found himself sprinting in a straight line directly for the open window.

Dooku furiously fired more waves of lightning in his direction, but Maul was too fast. The lightning hit the far wall, narrowly missing him by inches, and Dooku could only watch as Maul's metal legs crouched, and flung him in a perfect dive out of the window.

He switched off his sabre and approached the window ledge. Looking down, he saw Maul's body fall helplessly into the mist below. There was no way he could survive such a fall. Sith, like Jedi had the ability to slow their descent, but that was advanced training, and Maul had memory loss. Satisfied that the job had been done, Dooku left the room, with little doubt in his mind that the boy was as good as dead.

Maul dove from the window, arms outstretched beside him. He seemed to know the correct position for free falling, but he couldn't remember why. The cool wind pounded against his sore chest as he gained momentum, falling faster and faster toward the abyss. _This is it. This is the end._ He thought, and closed his eyes, expecting to smash through the mist, into the ground.

He felt the moist mist surround him, and his senses alerted him to the ground below. _200feet, 150, 100feet. _He felt himself panic, any second now, he was going to be killed, and he clenched his eyes shut tighter, hoping against hope that he wouldn't feel anything. 50 feet, 40, 30, 25, 20, 17…_I'm slowing down! 15…13…10…_He opened his eyes to see he had slowed considerably, and with expertly timed skill, he tucked and rolled, landing perfectly on his clawed metal feet. The ground shook with a _SLAM, _and the tar cracked and split outwards as a crater formed around his feet. Had they been his real legs, they probably would have been crushed under his weight, but they were made of metal stronger than steel, and Maul didn't feel a thing, except the vibration that ran to his fingertips.

He rose from his crouched position and rubbed a hand over his bald, horned head. His heart was pounding from adrenaline andhe gasped for breath.

"Dude that was AWSOME!" came a voice in the mist. Maul turned to see a bedraggled young man, with long blonde dreadlocks, and a short beard, clapping his hands playfully. He breathed on his palms and rubbed them together. He was obviously cold, even with his many layers of what looked like Bantha hide…and he smelled likehe had fallen into a vat of alchohol.

Maul looked at himself, he wasn't wearing anything, not that he had anything to hide now. Everything below his navel was amass of robotic hydraulics, steel and wires, and he felt nothing. He didn't even feel the cold.

The guy hadn't seemed to notice Maul's odd appearance, as he seemed rather intoxicated at the time.The manswayed as he hobbled over to him. Then stared in mild shock and horror as he got a closer look.

"Woah…what the hell are you?" He coughed and stared amazed at the red and black tattoos that covered Maul's entire face and torso. "You look like a map of the city!" he laughed. "A very scary map of the city! Is that a bar?" he pointed toward the centre of Maul's head, and cried out as Maul quickly threw out a fist and grabbed his neck at incredible speed, lifting him two feet into the air.

Maul had this quick and sudden feeling that he did not want to be touched, and before he knew what he was doing the man was writhing in his powerful grip. Both men stared wide-eyed at each other in awe, and Maul immediately released him. "I don't know why I did that!" he held his wrist with his spare hand, and didn't even apologise.

The man coughed, trying to breath again, and found his lungs. "It's okay! My bad! I won't do that again!" he smiled nervously.

Maul clenched and unclenched his fist in front of his eyes, wondering why he had attacked him for no reason. It was almost as if his _instincts _were controlling him. Showing him how to survive.

"You wanna buy some death sticks?" The intoxicated human asked, swaying uncontrollably.

Maul's memory may have been a little…off, but he certainly knew what death sticks were. "No." He glared. Death sticks were illegal drugs, and blinded the senses.

"That's too bad." The man swayed. "You know anyone who might?"

Maul paused. He tried to think of people he knew, searched for faces in his memory. He couldn't find any. "I don't know…anyone." He muttered. Then looked around to see if he could recognise the area. He saw the foundations of the building he had fallen from. And there were makeshift buildings all around, made of rusted metal and wood, a different world to the one some thousand feet above. This place was dirty, labyrinthine and dark.

"Where am I?" Maul asked him.

The man started to laugh heartily, as if he had asked some sort of joke. He saw Maul's eyes glare at him in annoyance and he suddenly felt uneasy. "Ha ha…you're serious aren't you?" he stopped laughing. "This is the roots of Curascant! The best place in the world for death sticks, booze, brawls and of course Ladies!" he whirled around as if dancing with a partner. "But..er…you don't seem like a guy who's interested in chicks!" he smirked as he eyed Maul's appearance. Not realising he was being incredibly rude. Maul folded his arms and glared inhumanely at his tormenter. The red spots in his eyes seemed to glow, and the man gulped, thinking Maul was going to kick him in the nuts.

"Curascant…I don't know that name." Maul started to growl. "I don't know anything!" he was growing angry, his rage boiling his blood, and he shut his eyes as he felt a wave of energy release from every cell in his body.

The dreadlocked man let out a startled yelp, as the bottle of green booze he was carrying suddenly exploded. "Bugger!" he let go of the broken bottleneck and let it drop to the floor. "My drink!" he started to wave in panic, then pointed accusingly at Maul. "You…YOU…broke my…drink!" he looked disgusted.

"Oh just sober up or die!" Maul hissed, and started to walk away. He had no idea where he was going, but his inside told him that he was heading toward life, toward people, in buildings and alleyways beyond. There were illuminations up ahead, no doubt advertising sleazy bars and cheap hotels.

"NO!" The man waved franticly. "Where are you going!" He sprinted past Maul and stopped him in his tracks. "You can't go that way! Not looking like…"

"Like WHAT?" Maul roared. The man cowered and lifted his hands in pardon. Maul strode past him.

"I meant no _offense_…" He jogged alongside Maul, still trying to cut in front of him. "…But you cannot just walk around looking like that, this is a dangerous place, and people who live here know its always best…to _avoid attention." _He smiled, showing some rows of blackened teeth, with the occasional gold cap.

"Does it look like I'm worth mugging?" Maul paused, and pointed at himself. He had no clothes, no money and no memory. As far as he knew, he may already have been mugged. He was just happy that the old man in the building hadn't sliced him to pieces.

"Well I don't know! Good pair a new legs…could be worth…5000 credits on the black market…that's a whole lotta death sticks!" He shrugged.

"…and why do you care what happens to me?" Maul glared, his senses telling him that this man was not to be trusted.

"By all means…go that way! I'm sure you can take care of yourself, its just, seeing as your 'new' to the area, It might be in your best interests, to have a guide!" The man pointed to himself. Maul knew he was hiding something.

"What would you get out of it?" Maul sneered.

"Me? Nothing much…I'm sure you can sort that out." He smiled, flashing his golden teeth once more.

"I don't have anything for you." Maul turned to walk away again, and was grabbed by the arm.

Instinctively he grabbed the man's wrist and bent it back, threatening to break every joint in his arm.

"Steady on!" The man begged, "Ow ow ow!"

Maul released him again and looked at his shaking hands. _How did I do that? When did I learn that? _

"You seem to be pretty touchy with the personal space, so maybe you could…say…protect _my _personal space for a short space of time." The man grinned uneasily.

"You want a bodyguard?" Maul smiled, his senses relaxing as he realised the man's true intentions.

"Not _specifically_ a bodyguard, just…well…help me avoid some sticky situations…which may or may not happen whilst we go in that direction." He pointed toward the area in which Maul was heading.

"So…you'll be my guide, as long as I protect you from any spider roaches that decide to chew on your leg?" Maul scoffed. The drunken man made no sound, just nodded.

He thought about his situation. He had no money, no home, he was completely lost. "Fine!" Maul reluctantly agreed, and shook the man's hand tightly.

"This way!" The man shuffled in the opposite direction to the place he was afraid of. "You'll need to _blend in _to survive down here. You just follow my lead." He motioned for Maul to follow.

Maul rolled his eyes and sneered at himself. Then set off after him.

"By the way, you got a name?" The drunk asked, walking backwards.

"No." Maulsnapped bluntly.

"Mine's Jack!" he laughed. "Junkie, drunk, and a god among women!" He bowed.

"What can I call you then? No-name? Nameless? Mr big shot? Legless?"

"Shut the hell up!" Maul snarled.

The man put his hands together in apology. "Sorry! Sorry! It's just my nature to be a bit of a bastard! You get a lot of it round here!" he bowed low, hoping the metal-legged menace wouldn't try to kill him again. "What would you like to be called?"

Maul wasn't listening. It wasn't the man's words, however cruel, that made him growl. Every atom in his body was warning him of danger. A very close danger.

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	4. The Power of Intimidation

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_**Chapter 4 - The Power of Intimidation** _

"Well, well, well, look who we have here." A harsh voice echoed in the mist. Maul closed his eyes. He could _see_ them somehow, males…of various species…all around, armed with the types of weapons that were practically ancient.

"Jack." The voice spoke again. For some reason they hadn't spotted Maul in the mist. He found this particularly odd. At two meters tall, with metal legs and a tattooed head of horns, he was definitely a sight to behold.

It took him a moment to realise that he had somehow cloaked himself from them. He was using the darkness for cover, the mist was his camouflage, and an energy pulsed through him, keeping them from seeing his hiding place.

Jack couldn't see Maul anywhere as he heard a voice say his name. _Bastard…I knew he'd leave me. _He thought. Then turned to the source of the voice.

"I'm not Jack, just some lowly beggar…" He smiled, as a tall young man appeared in the darkness. His head was topped with three red Mohawks, and he wore a jacket made of various materials, mostly metal plates, as protective armour. He carried a sharp heavy sword and a blaster.

"You playing me for a fool Jack?" He sneered.

"Pike!" Jack recognised the man. "Oh thank god it's you! I thought you were somebody else…sorry to have trespassed, I'll just take my death sticks and be on my merry way!" Jack tried to walk away and was stopped in his tracks as Pike lifted the sword to his neck.

"The money…Jack…where's the money?" Pike reminded him.

"Ah yes!" Jack placed a finger between his neck and the sword, and pushed it away very gently, stepping around it. "The money…is…well…you see there was this girl…very pretty Twilek…erm…and she…kinda…erm…stole it!" Jack winced as he said it, and waited for Pike to scream.

He did. "What the hell are you saying?" Pike roared.

"I couldn't stop her!" Jack whined, "I was tied to the bed, I thought she was just playing!" he smiled weakly, still wincing.

"Jack you've really disappointed me." Pike nodded his head in disgust.

Maul felt a twinge in his gut. The one named Pike was planning to strike, very soon, and he intended to kill. The other men all around were slowly starting to close in, and Jack had no means of escape, he didn't know that yet though.

Maul's heart seemed to race, the adrenaline urged him to show his face, let them know he was there, let them see his face, and fight them. He had this desire to prove. To win. Even if it meant killing. He started to approach the two men.

Jack was about to say something when he heard the familiar _clank clank _of Maul's heavy frame walking toward him. _Thank you god! Thank you sun! Thank you moons! Thank you the strange Jedi force thing!_ He wasn't a religious man at heart…but he was right now.

Pike heard it too, and removed his blaster…pointing it at empty space. It could be one of his men, but he hadn't ordered his cronies to do anything yet. The noise grew louder, and his face suddenly twisted in horror as a monster appeared, looming behind Jack. It was about seven feet tall, thanks to a pair of long metal 'S' shaped legs. He looked up at the face and was struck with fright.

"Ah…thought I'd lost you!" Jack smiled smugly. Maul just glared at Pike, enjoying the terror a mere look could inflict. He seemed to get a rush from seeing Pike cower.

"Tell your men to back off." Maul's guttural voice cut the man like a knife.

Jack couldn't see anybody nearby, and seemed rather confused.

"There's nobody else here." Pike lied, bravely.

"Are you playing me for a fool Pike?" Maul smiled as he used Pike's own words against him. This seemed to put him in his place. The horned one was clearly not stupid…like Jack.

Pike hesitated for a minute, then folded before Maul's fierce visage. "Fine…we are leaving…I'll catch ya later Jack. He's not going to be very happy with you!" He pointed the sword angrily at Jack, who grinned uneasily and waved. Then Pike stalked off into the shadows.

"Oh you're good! From now on I'll call you Dread…one look from you…and they all disappear…amazing!" Jack made to pat Maul's arm in thanks, but recoiled as Maul's reflexes made him twitch into a defensive posture. "Woops…personal space…duly noted!" he stepped back, bowing in apology.

"Shall we Jack?" Maul growled and carried on walking, Jack struggling to stay alongside.

"Certainly 'Dread'!" Jack swayed and skipped toward an alleyway between two foundations.

It was a while before Jack led him to what looked like a very old apartment building.

"Is this where you live?" Maul asked, sneering at the rusty old walls, which looked as if they might crumble away to dust if he touched them. He spotted an armoured rat chewing on a dead tramp and kicked it away in disgust. He hadn't realised how strong his new legs were until he saw the rat rebound off the far wall, and smack Jack in the gut, bowling him over.

Maul grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket and picked him up with one hand. Lifting him to his feet. "I'm okay!" Jack swayed as he fumbled around for his swipe key.

"It's in your left jacket pocket." Maul muttered.

"Why thank you…" Jack shoved his hand in his pocket and felt for the key. Then he paused and turned to Maul. "How did you know that?" he raised an eyebrow curiously.

Maul mused for a moment._ How did he know?_ "I don't know…gut feeling." He shrugged.

Jack made a slight noise, as he pondered something. He swiped the key and the main door opened with a squeak. They were met with a small entrance hall. Maul had to crouch ever so slightly, to fit under the doorframe, but seeing as he couldn't feel pain or discomfort in his lower half, crouching was easy. He didn't know how his legs were controlled. It just seemed to be fused to his spinal cord, and whatever his brain told them to do, they reacted accordingly with no delay. He had complete control.

They made their way up flights of steps to the tenth floor. Where a hallway of doors greeted them.

"Home sweet home!" Jack grinned as he opened his door with the key, He stepped aside to let Maul enter. Maul was met with another low ceiling, and reluctantly entered the smelly hovel. There was a small dining area with kitchen, a tatty sofa with boxes for tables and chairs, and what looked like a small science lab full of Death stick producing agents.

"You live here?" Maul asked in disgust. Glaring at Jack.

"Sometimes!" Jack nodded. "I live mostly where the women are, so…hotels, bars, inns, erm…other places!" He started fumbling around in the kitchen area for food, and found some tinned meat. Maul didn't even know if he could eat. He declined the offer, thinking that his body would tell him what he needed, when the time came. "…I only come here to make these." He handed Maul a couple of small glowing neon-like rods…Death Sticks…an expensive and highly illegal drug.

Maul chucked them to one side with a shrug, then sat down on the sofa. Jack went into the bedroom and was still talking nonsense as he looked through various cupboards and wardrobes. He emerged holding an assortment of clothes and threw them onto Maul's lap. "Take your pick!" Jack said as he poured himself a drink. Maul reluctantly had a glance at the clothes. Jack was tall, but not nearly as tall as he was, and he was thinner too. He settled for a fitted long sleeved T-shirt, with leather panels down the sleeves. It was black. _I like black._ He thought.

There was nothing he could wear to cover his robotic legs, but Jack had provided him with a black Bantha-hide coat, with zips and buckles decorating it and a split up the back.

"I forgot about that!" Jack sighed. "Me and that coat seen some good times." He swigged a glass of green alcohol and hiccupped. Maul put them on and stood up. The shirt was a little tight across the chest, but the coat was roomy, and fitted his broad back perfectly. But something was missing…

"Have you got any gloves?" Maul smiled.

"Dude you look like a gang leader!" Jack coughed and choked on his drink. He had worn the outfit himself, but Maul's red and black tattooed skin and robotic talon legs made him a terrifying spectacle indeed. Not to mention those strange sharp horns crowning his head.

Jack looked at them in wonder. He seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"Zabrak!" Jack clicked his fingers in realisation. "You're a Zabrak!"

Maul looked up at him surprised. He recognised the name, but he wasn't sure what it meant. "…are you sure?"

"The horns…I recognised the horns. Dated a girl once, she was half Zabrak, half human and had these cool horns just here." Jack traced his fingers across his hairline. "I could hitch you guys up if you want, not many of your kind anywhere in the galaxy, save your home planet."

Maul listened intently. He had no home, no memory, and no money. If what Jack said was true, maybe he had come from that planet. "What's the planet called." He enquired.

"I don't know… 'Iri'…something…you'll have to ask _her._" Jack hiccupped again. "Where are you wanting to go? Where did you come from? And how was it I saw you make a crater in the middle of the road?" Jack seemed rather concerned.

"I woke up in an operating theatre with these" Maul pointed to his legs, "I don't know how I got there, I don't know why I was there, I don't remember my name, my species, family, nothing. Then all of a sudden this man comes in and tries to kill me with a laser sword." Maul confessed everything. He figured Jack had revealed he was a drug-dealing criminal, so it was Maul's turn to share.

Jack dropped his glass in shock. "A laser sword?" he gawped. "Like one o' them…little…metal…tubes…with a big laser coming out of it?" he was motioning swordplay with his hands.

"The very same." Maul raised his tattooed brow. "You know who he is?"

"Are you KIDDING?" Jack laughed excitedly. "Everyone knows the weapon of a Jedi is a lightsabre!"

Maul's gut vibrated with the mention of the word _Jedi. _He felt a wave of disgust and utter hatred, but again he didn't know why. "What's a Jedi?" he demanded an answer, immediately.

"The guardians of peace and justice etc. they wander around doing good, using these cool powers and fighting with laser swords. You said he tried to kill you?" Jack looked at him, confused.

"He tried to cut off my head…I'd call that an attempted killing." Maul pointed out.

"Man you really must have done something bad to tick him off like that! Jedi's are meant to be defence only." Jack scoffed. Amazed that the man had _met _a Jedi, never mind survived an attack by one.

"Well I'm no threat to him now. I'm lost, I'm homeless and I have no memory. What the hell am I going to do now?" he sat back and closed his eyes. A tense pain throbbed in his head as a headache formed. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You are welcome to stay at my humble abode." Jack waved drunkenly at the room. "I never sleep here anyway, like I said, I stay where the women are." He laughed, as Maul closed his eyes and went into a deep meditative sleep.

'_Stay as long as I you like' _Jack smiled to himself, a plan forming in his mind as he watched his horned companion start to drift off to sleep.

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	5. Forgotten Memories

**Chapter 5 - Forgotten Memories**

_Khameir woke with a start as shouts and screams were heard throughout the village. They were under attack. He was about three years old._

_He called for his mother, who had been asleep in a hammock nearby. He was too small to climb down without help, but as he looked around he could not see her._

"_Mayar!" He screamed for his mother, as the noise of huge machines crashed through trees, shaking the wooden hut violently. He hid under his blanket screaming as the noise grew louder and louder. Then it suddenly stopped. The voices of the villagers were still screaming, and faintly in the distance he could hear a familiar voice._

"_Khameir!" She screamed his name, "Khameir Sarin!" she screamed even louder. Searching the crowd for her child._

_He came out from under the blanket, and looked down from his hammock. It wasn't that far down, he could be brave. He leant over the side, grabbing a firm hold and tried to climb down. His hands were too small and he lost his grip. He fell awkwardly, banging his head. He cried in pain, but climbed to his feet and toddled out of the hut._

_What greeted him was chaos. People were running away from huge transport machines, which were tall and menacing. The machines had left a path of destruction through the village. Huts and people were crushed, men and women and children. The machines started to open, and Khameir could see what looked like metal skeletons silhouetted inside. They were battle droids. He had heard his mother and father talking about the 'bad' tribes, their enemies, and how they had joined forces with people from another planet, people who had weapons and cannons and droids._

_One by one the droids took aim, and walked out of the machines belly, shooting everyone. "Mayar" he screamed to his mother, who turned and saw him. She ran toward him, she was still running when a blast of red light hit her in the chest and her body went limp, falling and skidding to a halt at his feet._

_He bent over and patted her face. Trying to wake her up. She didn't move, she wouldn't hold him or sing to him. She just lay there sleeping. A droid appeared in front of him. It was looking at him, pistol aimed but it didn't fire. He seemed to be waiting for something. A crackled and broken voice on the droids radio started to speak, and the blue ghost of a face hovered above a pad it was holding._

"_What is it Captain?" the low guttural voice crackled. Khameir was amazed. He had never seen anything like that before, he bravely reached for it, the droid lifting it higher so it was out of reach. _

"_Sir, what shall we do with those who surrender or are too young to fight?" The droid asked._

_Khameir got angry. He wanted the pad in the droids hand. He reached for it again._

_The droids arm began to shake. The ghostly face turned toward him, looking at him in mild admiration. The pad was somehow invisibly snatched from the droids arm, and hovered into Khameir's hands._

"_Most impressive." The ghost stared. "Captain?"_

"_Yes sir" the droid bleeped, snatching the pad back from the infant._

"_Bring this one to me." He ordered._

"_Affirmative, what about those who surrender?" The droid asked again._

_The ghost paused. "Kill them." Then it flickered away._

Maul woke in a cold sweat. His hands clutching the sides of the seat. His fingers had pierced the fabric from him squeezing so hard. It was early morning…he could sense it, but it was still dark outside. He expected that light didn't penetrate the mist much. He climbed to his feet and strolled toward the only small window in the flat. Looking out, he could see some more buildings, and alleyways, and then the foundations of the vast skyscrapers that stretched thousands of feet above. The place was a Labyrinth. He heard voices in the corridor. Jacks drunken slurring was instantly recognisable.

"I'm telling you _he's huge!_" Jack was trying to impress someone, Maul's instincts said it was a woman. "…_and he's my bodyguard, just wait till you see._" Jack drawled.

Maul felt a little annoyed. He wasn't going to be anyone's bargaining chip. If he wanted to impress, or scare this woman to death, Jack would have to do it himself.

He sidled to the bedroom area and closed the door. Locking it.

Jack stumbled into the room. "Hey Dread I'm h…hey where'd he go."

Maul stifled a laugh. He could sense everything in that room, see Jack's face switch from all smiles and charm to utter confusion and humiliation.

"I don't mean to burst your bubble Jack, but if he's your bodyguard shouldn't he have been out there, with you, instead of being cooped up in here?" She asked. Her voice was soft but strong. This girl was independent.

"He's not _exactly _my bodyguard…just a protective, intimidating, evil-looking companion!" he swayed.

"Hey Dread!" he shouted toward the bedroom. "You in there? You were sleeping like a baby when I left!"

Maul didn't answer. He didn't want to be ridiculed by Jack in front of total strangers.

"Suit yourself! Raya…this is my friend…the door…door…this is Raya Nemar…the girl I told you about? She might be able to help you 'remember'." Jack sat himself down on the sofa and started to chew on an empty death stick container.

Maul hesitantly opened the door silently, and looked out of the small gap he created. He could see Jack, still intoxicated on the sofa, and stood nearby was a girl. She looked human, she had a pretty face, with long blonde hair that curled around her neck. She was wearing a red hooded cloak over her grungy outfit. Maul watched as she unclasped the cloak, and threw it on a nearby surface. Maul then noticed that she had a row of five short spiked horns poking up through her hair, just above her hairline. They were a different shape to his, but there was no denying a similarity.

She caught sight him staring through the gap. He stepped away quickly.

"He's shy isn't he?" She smiled at Jack, sitting down next to him.

"He's just…confused right now…besides if you looked like he did you would probably wanna reconsider your career choice!" He shouted as he received a playful slap from Raya.

"Don't be rude!" she snapped at him. "It can't be that bad, My father was pure Zabrak, he had the tattoo of our family markings all over his forehead…he looked like a circuit board." She told Jack, hoping that 'Dread' as Jack called him, would decide to emerge.

"My tattoo's are a little more extensive." Maul opened the door casually. She caught sight of him and screamed in alarm.

Maul wasn't surprised at this reaction. He had almost done the same thing when he saw his own reflection in the operating theatre.

Her hands flew to her mouth, and she stood up. "Oh I'm sorry I did that!" she looked incredibly guilty.

He wasn't angry, he liked the fact that his looks could scare people out of their wits. He seemed to find it quite enjoyable. He just didn't like being humiliated. He gave her a nod and accepted her apology.

"It's just your markings…I have never seen anything like it! They are not like Zabrak tattoos at all." She appeared to be muttering to herself, and she moved over to where he was standing. She reached for his face and he quickly snapped his hand over her wrist, wrenching it away.

She gave a yelp and tried to prise her hand away. Maul immediately released her. _Why do I keep doing that?_

"He doesn't like to be touched…he has a problem with _boundaries._" Jack laughed and reassured her.

"I'm sorry" she said to Maul, "I just wanted to look. I couldn't help myself. I haven't seen another of our kind on Curascant. We are quite rare finds." She smiled. "May I?" she motioned toward his horns, and he obliged, lowering his head, so she could see them all. She appeared to be counting them.

"…ten…_Eleven?_" she looked at him in awe. "That would make you an Iridonian Zabrak…it doesn't make sense." She was utterly dumbfounded.

"Why not?" Maul asked

"Well…the Zabrak species made many settlements on other planets, and through the generations of mixed breeding and all that, we have lost certain characteristics. The horns for example. Most Zabrak horns range from two to five or at the most…er...seven? You have eleven, like our ancestors, which tells us you were from our home planet…but…" She obviously knew a lot about their culture's history, no doubt from her father.

"But what?" He asked. Sensing that she was concerned.

"well…the planet was destroyed…about twenty years ago." She responded uneasily. "How old are you?"

"I don't remember." Maul admitted, looking away.

Jack gave a cough to get her attention, and pretended to smack himself on the head.

"I didn't hit my head Jack!" Maul hissed, and Jack shifted uncomfortably as both Zabrak threw a fierce glare in his direction.

"Whatever you say Dread…I'm just hoping you two can wrap this up so we can get going." He smiled.

"Go where?" Maul asked.

"We'll seeing as your planet is just another asteroid field, it looks as if you are gonna be spending some time here, so you may as well learn the _family business._" Jack grinned, flashing his gold teeth.

"I'm not selling Death Sticks on the streets." Maul snapped. He may not remember his past life, but he knew from his manner of speaking that he was not one from a poor, deprived background. He sounded…rich.

"Oh I'm sure we can find something for you to do…I need at least 2000 credits within the next couple of days, or Pike will gut me, with or without your help." He made to leave, and Maul reluctantly followed, zipping up the black coat on his way out.

--

--review please, if you have time :)


	6. Dune

**Chapter 6 – Dune**

The three made their way onto the street. They certainly were an eye-catching group, with the drunken, grubby yet inexplicably handsome Jack, the beautiful cloaked woman in red and Maul's 7ft clunking frame and demon-like visage, they turned many heads.

The streets were busy. It was day, although the place was still lit like it was night. The sun's rays could not reach the surface of the planet, and so the people down here relied on electrics and simple fires for light. It was almost primitive.

Maul took in the surroundings and found himself quickly memorising routes. _A habit from the past. _He thought.

Jack was nattering to himself, about where he would find 2000 credits, and whether he had enough to barter a trip to Tattooine, to hide from Pike and his cronies.

Raya was sprouting ideas and moneymaking schemes. "We'll perhaps you could come to the club and speak with Dune, he knows me, and I know you, maybe he'll help?" She smiled encouragingly. Jack paused and looked at her suspiciously.

"This would be Dune, your _ex-boyfriend _Dune, your _boss_ Dune, the one I refer to as the _Twi'lek psycho_ Dune?" He slurred and made to run away.

"Jack he only tried to kill you once!" Raya put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

Maul just stood silent, he had no desire to stop this verbal war and merely took in the surroundings, allowing his senses to grope the darkness, sense the people around him, and guess their actions. Some stared at him as they passed. He amused himself by hissing at them and seeing how quickly they would flee.

"He fired that canon at me!" Jack hollered.

"You called him a stupid tentacled git!" Raya gasped. "…And it was a blaster!"

"It bloody looked like a canon! And he _is _a stupid tentacled git!"

"Can we move along?" Maul's low guttural voice, soothed the couple's anger, and they just glared at each other.

"It was just a suggestion Jack. He can help you, he might even be able to help you too!" she nodded at Maul.

Jack looked at him for support, Maul didn't respond. "Oh…FINE!" Jack shouted and went into a drunken sulk.

Raya smiled at Maul, celebrating her victory, and headed to a nearby alleyway.

It wasn't long before they had joined a connecting route, which seemed to be full of many bars and restaurants, fast-food places and nightclubs.

A neon sign flashed _Dune's Sea _and Maul guessed that was where they were heading. Raya led them to the entrance. A heavily built Klatooinian with a scar through it's eye, stared at Maul suspiciously. Maul felt a wave of irritation flare through him, and had a desire to snap the bouncer's neck. He resisted the temptation.

"Morning Garad!" Raya beamed as she approached with the strange drunken human, and what could only be described as a bionic Zabrak male. Garad frowned.

"Morning Raya." He growled. "Your friends got weapons?" He scanned them with his eyes, still keeping a suspicious eye on Maul.

Raya paused. She didn't know. "Do you?" she turned to Jack and Maul. Jack lazily turned out his pockets and opened his coat, Maul just nodded.

"I'm gonna need you to open your coat sir." The Klatooinian sneered. Maul glared back at him.

"I'm not carrying anything." He said coolly. He could feel Garad's thirst for a fight, and every cell in his body was begging Maul to put the inferior Klatooinian in his place…a grave.

Garad reached for his blaster, and was stopped by Raya. "He's my…brother!" She turned and glared at Maul, she didn't want Garad's temper getting them into trouble with Dune. Garad was one of the best, and Raya suspected that Jack's companion was better.

Garad through suspicious glances at Maul and Raya, and upon seeing the horns on their heads, reluctantly stepped aside. Raya swept past, leading Jack through, and Maul slowly followed, sneering at Garad as he clunked through the door.

Garad brushed his fingers across his blaster in a threatening move, and Maul gave him a fierce look. To his surprise Garad suddenly started to cough and hold his throat painfully. He looked almost as if he were choking. He leant against the doorframe for support and tried to breath.

Maul felt the urge to ignore him and walk away, but his brain told him that would be foolish. He took a step toward Garad, who was struggling for air. Garad's eyes went wide with fear, and staggered back. "Get away from me!" he gasped.

Maul sneered at him and turned to walk away. "Suit yourself!" he hissed and followed in the direction Jack had gone. As he left, he heard the Garad catch his breath and cough. _Was I doing that? _He thought as he continued down the narrow passageway. _How?_

He soon found himself in a large room. It wasn't very full. There were a few creatures at the bar, a large seating area, some podiums with provocative twi'lek dancers, and in the back of the room, an area was cornered off. Maul could see Raya and jack approach this area. He followed, ignoring the looks he was given. The dancers had stopped wiggling and just stared at him in shock. He stood behind Raya, to see a table of people playing a virtual game of Yanth. A card game with dice and lots and lots of money.

A Twi'lek male, flanked by two large looking Quarrens sat in the centre, facing the room. _This must be Dune _Maul thought, as he took in his appearance. He was a young, with skin that was a pale shade of blue, had two tentacles sprouting from the top of his head, which were tied back behind his head. He wore a smart suit, that seemed to change colour whenever his mood shifted. At the moment it was a deep red.

Next to Dune were some other rich gangsters, probably gang leaders or corrupt businessmen. They seemed to be paying more attention to the dancers than the game, and all stopped everything when Maul's huge frame covered them in shadow.

"Raya!" Dune smiled, "Nice to see you so early into the day, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He leant forward and kissed her hand, then sat back down as he saw Jack next to her. He gave him a fierce look, he then saw Maul, and looked very uncomfortable.

"Dune. You know Jack, and this is my brother 'Dread'" she motioned to Maul.

"I think we both know that's a lie." He eyed Maul suspiciously and turned back to Raya, giving her a look of contempt.

"Half-brother!" Maul snarled. He didn't like Dune, in fact his senses were telling him that Dune was a mild threat. A powerful man, but not powerful enough to cause any serious damage to Maul's well-being.

"Is that so?" Dune sneered. "Raya? Why are you here?" He carried on playing the game, as if she were not worth his attention.

"Well…" Raya wasn't sure how to ask him. She turned to Jack for support. "We need 2000 credits!" she blurted out.

Dune almost dropped his cards, and let out a loud, malicious laugh. "You want 2000 credits?" he scoffed, "I wouldn't lend you 2!"

Jack pushed past Raya. "It's me…I need 2000 credits by tomorrow, or I'm a dead man!" he pleaded.

Dune laughed even harder. "Oh thank god…I was beginning to think you were never going to die."

He motioned toward a guard, who pulled out his blaster and stalked over. "You can go now Jack." He smirked, as the guard pointed the gun at Jack's head.

"Dune please?" Raya begged. "He's my friend, I will pay you back myself, out of my wages if necessary." It was perfectly logical, Raya could earn 2000 credits in two weeks, but Dune seemed to like watching suffering as much as Maul did.

"Raya…not a chance in hell!" he waved her off and continued to play his game. Raya stared at him, holding back tears. She thought Dune would have at least given her a chance, remembered that she still loved him, but he just brushed her away like a spec of dirt.

Maul saw her pain, and his heart twitched. Part of him didn't care, but these people were giving him a home, food, clothes, and wanted nothing more than his protection in return. He had to help. He searched his feelings for answers, letting his instincts take over. Then he felt it.

"Hey big guy! Out!" Dune snapped his fingers at Maul, as Raya and Jack started to leave.

"I want to join the game." Maul said coolly, glaring at Dune. This twi'lek seemed immune to intimidation, yet his wealthy companions did not. They obediently moved around the table, and made space for Maul to sit.

"Members only I'm afraid." Dune motioned toward his Quarren bodyguard next to him, who stood up defensively, asking Maul to leave with his eyes.

"He's cheating." Maul smiled and pointed at the nearest gangster. The man's eyes went wide in shock.

"How dare you!" he hissed. Dune looked at the man, then back at Maul. He wasn't sure who to believe.

"He's been playing you for a fool all morning." Maul grabbed the man's wrist and ripped off his sleeve, revealing a set of high winning cards.

Dune and the others stared at the man angrily, some even pulled out pistols. "You cheating scum!" one yelled.

"I wouldn't draw attention to yourself!" Maul sneered at another, "You're cheating too, you two are working together!"

Dune looked absolutely furious. He stood up to full height and gave the cheaters looks of utter contempt. Raya and Jack were waiting near the doorway.

"LEAVE MY CLUB!" Dune barked at the gangsters. Obviously he had the authority to strike fear into the gangsters hearts, yet Maul felt nothing, as if he were threatened by no man.

The cheating scum immediately dropped their winnings and fled for their lives. "If I see you here again I'll feed your eye's to my raptors!" he snarled at them.

He sat down in a sulk and turned to look at Maul. "Dread? Is it? How did you know?"

Maul smiled. He could feel it, the cells in his body told him the men weren't to be trusted, that they were hiding something.

"It's what I do…I sense things…I know you have a pistol in your boot, you wanted to get it and threaten me with it, I know you have feelings for Raya, but don't want to tell her, I know you hate Jack's guts, and want him dead, I can feel your anger, your love, and I know that the quarren bodyguard you use so much has been stealing from you while you sleep." He knew a lot more than that, but Dune got the message.

The quarren near Jack and Raya made to run, but Maul held out his hand, and he stopped in his tracks. He made similar choking sounds to Garad the bouncer, and grabbed his neck.

Dune looked excited and stared at Maul in utter awe. "You seem to know a great deal…tell me…how did you come to learn Jedi arts?"

--

--review please, if you have time. :)


	7. The Credits Roll

_-- sorry its so late, am back at uni now so time seriously lacks:(_

_--_

**_Chapter 7 - The Credits roll_**

Jack and Raya watched in awe as Dune and Maul talked like two old friends reunited. They had no idea what information was being exchanged, but Raya smiled hopefully at Jack as Dune smiled smugly and shook Maul's hand.

"I think he's done it!" Raya gasped. Jack rolled his eyes. He was still angry at himself for stepping inside Dune's bar, let alone trying to strike a deal with him.

Maul and Dune stood up and headed toward them, the latter flanked by his remaining Quarren bodyguard, who – maul assured him- was definitely _not _stealingfrom him.

"Raya!" he smiled uncomfortably, and glanced at maul, who gave him a "_Do It!" _order with his eyes.

"I'm sorry…for everything…I was a fool…and…" Dune paused and got an angry elbow in the gut from the Zabrak.

"OW…and…I…I…would really love it if you would…er…let me court you…again?" He expected a slap in the face, as a punishment for all the times he'd hurt her. Instead he was surprised when Raya flung herself at him and smothered him with kisses.

Jack watched the couple with a vague look of surprise and disgust and found himself distracted by another exotic dancer nearby.

Raya calmed down and coughed uncomfortably. "That's a yes by the way." She smiled. Dune laughed and put his arm around her, nodding to Maul in thanks. If it hadn't been for her 'half-brother' he probably would never have asked her for forgiveness. It wasn't his style. Luckily, there was nobody else around to witness this bizarre act.

"If you hurt her again…" Maul shrugged, "…I'll kill you." He glared blankly at the twi-lek, who laughed and went to pat him on the back in thanks. Maul's reflexes took hold and he couldn't stop himself from thrashing out with his hand and crushing Dune's fingers in his fist. The quarren was too slow and dim-witted to react as Maul grabbed his master's hand and twisted it angrily.

Dune let out an angry snarl, "I need that back thank you!" he bared his teeth as he wrenched his hand away, and tenderly clutched his fingers. Maul felt Dune's rage boiling. He was a powerful man, and had taken this attack very personally indeed.

"It's my reflexes." Maul explained, "I can't seem to control them yet…my apologies." Maul felt as if he had never apologised to anyone in his life, but if he did, it would have to be delivered with the utmost sincerity and respect.

Dune eyed him for a moment, the nodded his head respectfully as he accepted the apology. "Try and control yourself…I don't want any 'accidents' tonight."

Raya and Jack looked at each other. "What's happening tonight?" Raya asked.

Dune smiled. "I'm having a private party. Members only. 'Dread' is going to be working for me as both guest and spy."

Jack seemed excited. Dune's 'parties' were always the hot topic in conversations round here, and few people got to be involved in the gatherings.

Jack's face fell as he received a cruel sneer from Dune. "You're not coming."

Raya smirked, still holding on to Dune's arm. "I'm invited right?" she smiled sweetly.

"Of course…you both are my guests of honor!" he looked at the two Zabraks, then glared at Jack, who looked deeply flustered and annoyed. "If this evening goes well, and Dread impresses me, we'll see about those 2000 credits!"

Jack seemed to cheer up a little. "I guess I should thank you then." He made to shake Dune's hand. He didn't accept it. He nodded to Raya and Maul and returned to his table.

Jack glared at Raya.

"What?" she asked, innocently. "At least he didn't try to shoot you!"

"He wants to…" Jack sulked.

"But he didn't." Maul interrupted.

Jack muttered something similar to 'stupid, tentacled git' and skulked off toward the exit, followed closely by Maul. Raya left them to their own devices and went to join Dune at his table.

---

"What the bloody hell did you say to him?" Jack said as he stormed out onto the street, dodging a speeder bike.

"I didn't _say _anything." Maul sneered.

"Well, how did you change his mind? Wave your finger's and _force_ him to did you?" Jack mocked and motioned his fingers in a hypnotic gesture.

Maul's gut flinched. His eyes saw the gesture and every cell in his body quivered as jack said the word '_Force_.'

"Force." Maul muttered, as if in a trance.

"Say what?" Jack paused, holding a hand to his ear.

"The Force!" Maul said again. "I…know it…I remember it!"

"Everyone knows it…I mean…heard of it!"

"I didn't…I'm remembering…this is good…isn't it?" He frowned.

"I think you need another rest mate…this amnesia, whatever it is…you've gotta slow down!"

"Dune said I knew Jedi Arts." Maul ignored him. "I can sense things…everything…the Force…that's why isn't it? It's the reason behind it all!"

"You havn't been drinking have you?" Jack raised an eyebrow. Maul merely glared inhumanely at him. Jack let out a sigh. "Yes…the force, the mystical energy that binds the world together is what the Jedi get their powers from! That and their genetics, which is why ordinary lowlifes like me can't do jack sh-"

"I get it." Maul rolled his eyes.

"Well…you and your force better do whatever Dune wants tonight…I need the money now or Pike's gonna have my head on a…well…he's called 'Pike' for a reason!" Jack bit his lower lip unconsciously. He was scared, and Maul didn't need the force to see that.

---

Maul kept his end of the bargain. He accompanied Jack on his rounds, just in case pike decided to show, or Jack's clients needed some intimidating. Maul was impressed by how much Jack earned by selling death sticks to the desperate masses.

"You're wondering, _if he gets so much money, why does he live in a hovel?_" Jack seemed to read his mind as he took fifty credits from a group of young thugs.

"Well it's not really my business." Maul grunted.

"But you still_ wonder!_" Jack smiled weakly, "I…and nearly every other dealer in this godforsaken place…am obliged to give the majority of my earnings to 'The Overlord'… the top geezer, _the man, _the leader of all organized crime in this sector!"

"Does he have a name?" Maul asked, as Jack's fidgeting reached frantic heights.

"We don't say it." Jack whispered.

"…and you owe him 2000 credits?"

"I had to collect the credits from this guy, and deliver them to Pike, unfortunately I decided to go for a drink and I don't remember much else…all I know is that this twi-lek girl stole it and took off! And my deadline has passed!"

"What was the money for?"

"I can't say…it could cost me more than my head…information like that could cost yours and Raya's too! Anyone who has ever met me would lose a head if I shared _that _information!"

"I get your point!" Maul shrugged. He wasn't interested in how and why Jack needed the money, as long as he got it, Jack would be safe, and would still be able to help him find out who he is, and why the Jedi wanted him dead.

--

--review please:)


	8. Jack

**--**

**_Chapter 8 - Jack_**

After he and the Zabrak had done the rounds, Jack pocketed his earnings and meandered back through the darkened streets to 'Dune's Sea'. Raya was waiting outside greeting guests on Dune's behalf. She was wearing a beautiful new red gown, which left nothing to the imagination, but was obviously very expensive.

"_She only likes him cos he's rich!_" Jack muttered and took a swig of his drink. Maul noticed that Jack only seemed to drink when he was nervous or annoyed.

"Bitter are we?" He sneered.

"No!" Jack scoffed. "She could just do better tha's all!"

"Not that I'm siding with him or anything…but she can do better than you too!" Maul's mouth twitched as he stifled a smile. Raya spotted them and waved.

"Off you go then…go loom over them, make them sweat, cry, scream, whatever! Just save my ass okay?" Jack smiled weakly.

"What are you going to do?" Maul wondered. With him gone, Jack was unprotected.

"Oh I daresay I'll manage…I managed okay before I met you!"

"Jack if you hadn't met me you'd be _dead_." Maul corrected.

"If you don't get in there I'll be dead anyway!" Jack pointed to the club and Maul snarled and walked off.

Jack watched Maul clunk his way over to Raya and enter Dune's club before he walked back, slowly to his apartment. He got some looks from thieves and homeless, as if they were wondering whether he would be worth mugging. Jack had a reputation…but he also had acquaintances in high places. Raya was Dune's girlfriend now, and rumours of the huge beastly looking Zabrak Jack accompanied had spread throughout the underworld like wildfire. As a result he noticed he was being avoided a lot.

He swiped his card key and entered his apartment, climbing the flights of stairs lazily. He wasn't in the mood to go find an old girlfriend tonight…he was thinking of Raya. She was his closest friend and had ditched him for that_ stupid, tentacled git…_a very _dangerous_, tentacled git. Jack wouldn't trust Dune enough to ask him for help…but she did, and that bothered him.

Jack opened his door to find his normally messy room completely trashed. His equipment lay in pieces all over the floor, broken glass and splintered wood littered his room, along with shredded clothes. His cupboards had been emptied and he dropped his drink as he read a message gouged into the wall.

_'He is very disappointed'_

"Welcome home." A low gutteral voice said as the door slammed shut behind Jack. Pike stood there, running a finger along his sharp blade until it was stained with blood. Jack trembled with fear as more figures emerged from his bedroom, five of Pike's thugs, all armed with similar weaponry. Pike was not a fan of Blasters…they weren't _messy _enough. He was renowned in the underworld as a psychotic, bloodthirsty, unpleasant individual. It was rumoured he worked for the politicians, gangsters, Hutts…even at times the Sith, which were thought to be extinct. He worked for whoever paid the highest bid. He was a bounty hunter, assassin, spy, kidnapper, thief and sometimes just for fun…a homicidal murderer.

"The Money's coming! My friends are earning it as we speak!" Jack raised his hands, pleading for more time.

"Yes…your _friends…_trying hopelessly to save your ass, because you haven't the balls to save it yourself." Pike sneered. The thugs sniggered.

"Correct!" Jack didn't argue. "But the mon-"

"This isn't about the money _anymore_ Jack." Pike slammed his blade into the wall. He left it lodged there whilst he put on his gloves.

"_The Man_…is not happy…" Pike spoke sternly, "He wanted results and you delivered…late, he wanted information and you delivered…late…he wanted his money brought to him and you have yet to deliver…_LATE!"_

"But I always deliver!" Jack piped up.

"Let me finish!" Pike snapped. Jack jumped and fell silent. "Just yesterday, after our last meeting…we came across a twilek girl…the same twilek girl, whom we believe took _his_ money from you…"

"You got the money back?" Jack gawped.

"That and more…she confided in me before she ran out of breath…" Pike sneered and lovingly caressed his own throat. Jack looked horrified.

"Apparently…according to her…and I think she was telling the truth, I mean…after what she went through…she didn't really have a choice." Pike circled Jack and pushed him down onto his chair. Offering him a drink, Jack nodded his head, and Pike shrugged and continued. "…You let slip Jack…_he _doesn't care how…but you messed up…_you told her what the money was needed for…didn't you_?" Pike glared at him.

Jack searched his brain, he couldn't remember much of the night in question…he had been horribly drunk, and she was very beautiful, he could have told her anything. "I…I…don't know." Jack clutched his head.

"Well…_she knew_…so did her little sister…_her mother_…_her father_…" Pike knelt down in front of Jack, his face growing darker and more menacing with every word. Pike was listing people he had questioned…questioned and undoubtedly murdered afterwards.

"…her father's _friend_…his _wife_, and lastly…our very own _Senator Junjin_…" Pike smiled as if remembering a happy moment, "…and _his_ wife!"

Jack had gone terribly pale. In the space of one night and day, Pike had murdered three families, because Jack couldn't keep his drunken mouth shut.

"We are facing a crisis." Pike imitated the Senator's voice. "Senator Junjin, at this moment, is sleeping off fifty Kouhun bites…at the moment he is wetting himself every five minutes and drooling in a bucket…if he gets lucky he'll die a painful but quick death just like his dear lady. Either way…he's not _talking_ to anyone…and Pike here, has a rough day ahead of him."

Jack clenched his fists and braced himself. He was going to die…that he knew…Pike had been wanting to kill him last night for failure to deliver goods, so there was no way he could survive a mistake like this. Pike's next words struck him like a club.

"Unfortunately for me…I've been told not to kill you." Pike's sneer faded, Jack had stopped breathing out of shock. "_The Man_…has been watching you…and he's taken a liking to your _friends_…he wants to meet them…wants them to work for him, and maybe this will give them incentive to do as they're told." Pike reared his head back and slammed it into Jack's face.

Jack cried out as blood spurted from his nose and he clutched it painfully.

"Hurts?" Pike laughed manically. A trickled of blood glistening down his forehead. Pike didn't feel pain. He'd trained himself against it. He was a cold-blooded killer.

He motioned to his thugs and one by one they swung down with clubs and metal rods, beating Jack mercilessly.

"_I may not be allowed to kill you Jack_…" Pike stepped toward the wall and removed his blade that he had lodged into it. Jack felt his arm break as a heavy metal rod slammed into it. He screamed in pain and Pike merely smiled.

"…_but I'm gonna make you beg for death_!"

---

Maul scanned the dimly lit club with a smug smile. It didn't look seedy like this. It was glamorous and reminded him of a life long forgotten. Whatever he had been in the past…it was important, and it was wealthy. He shook off a humanoid alien female that had decided to cling to him, and managed to control his reactions somewhat. He would flinch and tense up but he wouldn't lash out anymore, unless it was a real threat. He walked around among the other bodyguards who eyed him suspiciously. Never before had Dune trusted someone so completely, so fast. Maul smiled to himself as he noted their jealous but fearful stares. Then he sensed a liar amongst the guests. Dune spotted Maul motion to a guard and remove the man from his sight. He had given Maul specific instruction…any cheaters, liars, concealed weapons or anyone he sensed was up to no good, should be taken to the back rooms and _dealt with_ in whatever way he pleased.

"_Make sure they get the message._" Dune's voice echoed in his head. Maul had agreed without question. The thought of beating the pulp out of these scum did not hit any moral fibre in his body, in fact, Maul doubted he had morals. The only time he felt a twinge of honour was when he realised he was the only one who could help Jack. Even then he had an ulterior motive. As long as Jack lived, he had a place to stay, a guide, food and clothes on his back. It also gave him a chance to get to know his 'Jedi' skills as Dune called them. He still felt a surge of hatred at the mention of that word, but he couldn't help but be proud that he had somehow learned such a feared and respected label.

Two heavily built Quarrens, one Klatoonian and a Dug bodyguard quickly rounded on the shady looking man, who had smuggled in a blaster. Maul felt this man was barely a threat to a Space-weevil, and let the others deal with it. He would take no pleasure in torturing someone so insignificant.

"Dread!" Dune was laughing with a friend and motioned for his Zabrak bodyguard. The others gave Dune jealous stares. "This is my new bodyguard…I have yet to witness his skill…but I know for a fact he is one of the best!" He patted Maul on the back and the Zabrak nodded politely to the other Gangsters.

Some coughed uncomfortably, and then one brave soul dared to challenge him. "I bet my Dug could take him." He sneered.

Dune's laughter faded into cold contempt. "Your Dug barely saved your neck in that assassination attempt." He sneered, motioning to the scar on it's throat.

"No bodyguard has ever managed to stop Fett in his missions…save the Dug." The alien retorted.

"Fett was contracted to send you a _warning_! Everyone knows that if he wanted you dead, both you and the Dug would be on a pyre!" Dune laughed, some others copied him nervously. Maul caught a glimpse of secrecy in Dune's face, and the Twilek glared at him, as if trying to say '_Get rid of him!_'

Maul stepped up. "I'll take that bet…if the Dug is willing." He growled.

"you're on!" The slimy green coloured gangster grinned a set of pointed teeth and held up his COM device, "Dug…get your ass out here, I need a demonstration." He smiled.

Dune looked at Maul, clearly un-intimidated by the alien gangster. He put one arm on Mauls shoulder, and Maul lowered his head to listen.

"_Try not to make too much of a mess."_ Dune sneered, so that he could barely be heard. Maul allowed the corner of his mouth to smile, but it evaporated just as quickly as he prepared himself for a fight. He instinctively knew he had to meditate, and allow his body to tell him what to do. The Dug appeared from the back room and paced over to the centre, which was being cleared for the fight. Maul could feel the tension in the air, the nerves of the gangsters. Dune's aura showed nothing…and Maul paused slightly. He had felt the Twilek's feelings and emotions before…why not now? For a fraction of a second he thought he had lost control of his power. Then again, maybe Dune was in fact thinking nothing, and he should stop prying.

"I want a good clean fight…Its over as soon as one surrenders, or loses consciousness, no killing…you're no use to us dead!" The Gangster raised his arm and Maul and the Dug faced each other proudly. Maul took a stance he didn't know existed, but allowed his cells to tell him what to do.

"GO!" Dune laughed. He threw a glass nearby and as soon as it smashed, something smashed into Maul. An agonising pain erupted in his head, and his whole body ached. Maul roared and clutched his ears. He could hear a screaming in his head, a screaming that wasn't his own. The Dug seemed momentarily stunned by his opponent's behaviour, but ignored it. He swung out with a leg and kicked Maul hard in the chest, almost knocking him backwards. Maul barely felt it, and his metal legs were stable enough to keep him upright. He gasped and groaned in pain as the screaming grew louder. "JACK!" he called.

Raya sprang from Dune's arm and placed herself between Maul and the Dug.

"Dune is this your idea of a joke?" The Gangster was laughing, his laughter turned to horror when Maul roared with pain so badly the glasses in everyone's hands burst.

There were a couple of yelps, curses and cries of "_Woah_!" as not only the glasses, but the bottles on all the shelves began to crack and shatter too. Dune looked furious and terrified as his bar was shaking and falling apart. "WHAT IS IT?" He roared at Raya, who was trying to keep Maul on his feet.

"I don't know!" She gasped and held back tears. Maul's eyes closed and he crashed to the floor in a heap. She knelt beside him and held his head. Whatever it was, he had passed out from the pain of it.

---

Maul woke so violently he snarled and reached for his attackers neck. He realised within seconds that the woman he held was no threat and released Raya immediately.

"S'ry!" He croaked and winced. He felt as if he was covered in bruises. "What happened?"

"You started calling for Jack, you were completely out of it!" Raya gasped as he let go of her neck. "How do you feel? Did he give you a dodgy death stick? Have you been drinking?" She sounded like a mother.

"No." Maul gasped. "I wasn't calling for Jack…I _was _Jack…I _am _Jack!" He clutched her shoulders. She looked at him with a bemused expression across her face.

He winced again and groaned. "He can't move…he's in pain! He's calling for _you_…he's in trouble!"

--

--review please:)


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